Violin from the Titanic sells for $1.4M

The violin played on the ill-fated Titanic sells for three times its expected price. NBC’s Duncan Golestani reports.

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>>>final tonight a remarkable event in engla today -- the sale of a piece of history that connts us t one of the most famous tragedies of all time, the sinking of "titanic."

>> reporter: of all t stories to emerge from t "titanic," one endured the test of time.

>>nice and cheery so there is no panic.

>> reporter: a legend captud inhe movie that amid theanic and chaos, the band kt on playing as the
ocean liner
slipped into the north atlant.

>>come on. let's play.

>> reporter: the men were led in music and courage by wallace heartily and his truy violin. no longer plable and cracked.

>>110,20130.

>> reporter:oday at auction. buyers desperate to own what's become the most iconick piece of memorabilia from "titanic."

>>walla hartley was an a-list, one of the most famous individuals associated with the ship.

>> reporter: it's believed the sly violin was found4 days aftethe disaster in wallacs suitcase which was strapped to his body.

>>it really is incredible to be holdingomething from the "titanic." it's in such good condition. there is one detail here that makes the story extra poignant.

>> repter: on the rust any metal plate the words "for wallace on the oasion ofur engagement therom maria." the violin has und gone years of tests to prove its authenticity. there was no doubt to the instrument's wort it sold for three tim its expected price.

>>at $900,000, going. [ applause ]

>> reporter: $1.4 million.

>>it just went on and on. we were all here. we couldn't believe it.

>> reporter: a
world record
ount for a "titanic" artifact on which htley is believed to have played his final hymn, "
nearer my god to thee
" as passengers boarded and the "titanic" slowly sank int the ocean.